Automatic steering device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EY M. KERZAK AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE f Filed June 20, 1933 July 14, 1936.

2 sheets-sheet 2 MJL TON KERZHK INVENTO'R 1 E Mimi@ ATTORNEY July 14, 1936. 'M KERZAK Y AUTOMATIC STE'ERING DEVICE Filed June 2o, 1933 Patented July 14, 1936 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC STEERING DEVICE Milton Kei-zak, New York, N. Y.

Application June 20, 1933, Serial No. 676,766

5 Claims.. (Cl. 18o-79.2)

This invention relates to apparatus employed in the steering of vehicles.

It is well known that eifort is required to operate the steering wheel of a vehicle in turning or shifting the same from a straight course. 'Ihe apparatus of my invention assists the driver'in steering, and is of especial advantage in the steering of heavy vehicles.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application, with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the `exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not aiect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed inthe appended claims. In the drawings:

"Fig, 1 is a view partly diagrammatic and partly in section showing one embodimentof myinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View showing part of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View showing a regulating valve einployed in connection with the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4.--4 of Fig. 3.

' Fig. 5 is a view showing another form of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view of one of the two hydraulic cylinders shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a view taken on line 'I-'I of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description thereof and at rst to Figs.'1 to 4, inclusive, the numeral III indicates a steering arm adapted to be moved by the turning of the steering wheel of the truck or other vehicle;

To saidsteering arm are pivotally connected oppositely directed piston rods |I and I2', respectively.V The piston rod I2 is connected to a piston I3 which works in a cylinder I4. Pipes I5 and I6 are connected into opposite ends of said cylinder on opposite sides of thepiston I 3. VSaid pipes I5 and I6 are connected to a pipe I1 which leads toa source of elastic uid pressure. 'Ihe valve I8; positioned on the dashboard of the vehicle,shown in Fig. 3, is preferably connected into the pip'eI'I toregulate the flow of air thru the pipes l5 and I6. While Fig. 3 shows one form of valve to be used in theposition and for the Vpurpose mentioned, it is to be understood that any suitable type of valve may be used. Valves 2U and 2l, which are normally closed, are connected in pipes I5 and I6, respectively. Means are provided and herein-Y after described for opening one of said valves 2|] or 2|, while the other remains closed. Said means comprises apparatus designated by the nu- 5 merals 23 and 24, which are of similar construction, each being connected to one of the mentioned valves. The devices 23 and 24 each include a piston valve 25 which is connected into the hydraulic cylinder 2I at opposite sides of 'the 10 piston IIa which is connected to the piston rod I I. Each of said piston valves 25 includes a cylinder 28 within which works a piston 29, normally held seated on the bottom of the cylinder by a spring 30 coiled around a piston rod 3| which slid- 15 ably passes thru a plug 33 screwed into the cylinder 28. Arms 35 are adjustably mounted on the piston rods 3| by means of sleeves 36' having set screws 3'I. Said arms 35 are pivotally connected to cranks 38 which are joined to stems-39 which 20 pass thru and are adapted to turn the plugs of the valves 20 and 2|.

A by-pass pipe 40 has its ends connected into the hydraulic cylinder 21 on opposite sides of the piston IIa and is provided to allow part of the 25 liquid displaced by the movement of the piston Ila to ow from one side of the piston to the other, a valve 4I being provided adjacent one end of the cylinder to regulate the rate of flow of liquid thru said pipe.

` Exhaust tubes43 and 44, thru which also air is admitted to cylinder I4, are connected in the pipes VI5 and I6 respectively and outlet or eX- haust valves 43a and 44a are respectively connected into the exhaust tubes 43 and 44. Said 35 valves 43a and 44a are normally open, that is to say, they are open when the valves 20 and 2l are both closed, said valve 43a being automatically closed when the valve 20 is opened and said valve 44a being automatically closed when the 40 valve 2| is opened, said means 23 and 24 which automatically open and close the valves 20 and 2 I, respectively, being also the meansV for automatically opening and closing the valves 43a and 44a, it being understood that the stems of said 45 valves 43a and 44a are connected to the stems of the valves 20 and 2|, respectively.

When the vehicle is moved in a straight course, the position of the parts is as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the inelastic fluid with which 50 the cylinder 21 is charged being on oppositesides of the piston IIa and the elastic fluid, previously admitted to the cylinder I4, exhausted therefrom. But the pressure at which the elastic fluid is admitted is never suicient to overcome the total resistance to movement of the steering arm I0, although approximating that necessary. The force supplied to the steering wheel by the operator supplies the additional increment necessary to effect movement of the steering arm lll, assuming the steering mechanism to be operated so thatthe arm Il! will be swung to the right as viewed in Figure 1 of the drawings. This will result in the slight movement of the piston Ila to the right .and the ejection of the contents of thecylinder 21 on the right side oflthe piston ,I la partly into the cylinder 28 of the righthand piston valve 25, thus resulting in the opening of the valve 2| and the closing of the valve 45a. The Y uid will Valso be ejected through the by-pass yim ways necessary to bring about thisvconditiomiout immediately upon opening the valve 2l andthe Vclosing ofthe attendant exhaust valve 44a, elastic uuid-is admitted .through .the pipefle into the lefthan'd-bftliebcylinderV i4, thereby. applying Ia pressure .on Fthe1t ist0n i3 .to move the latter, to the right, so that the only force-necessary to be applie'dl-by thbper'ator isV the excess over that applie'd by th'e-ipiston. I3. As flong as the operator applies this :excess force, a part of the fluid vto the right of thepiston ila is' forced intov the cylinder 28, Iso that the'valve 2l is kept in Vopen positionpbut ronethe cessation fof the vforce appliedY byitheoperator;themechanism comes to rest because the pressure :onthe piston'13 is insufficientto'continue thevmovement -of the arm l5.. The spring 30 inthe righthand cylinder y23 then I becbm'es'ia'ctive to: force the-fluid out vof the'eylinde128 andfback into the lcylinder 21:, sov ,that the valve `12| is closed'and fcutsV oi the supply of elastic'iiuid to the cylinder-i4, a-tthe same time opening r:the-'exhaust valve 4ta, so that the .prevo'u'sly .admitted Ielastic Yfluid 4may vloe-exhausted rom the cylinder I4. In steering to movearrrlrl!) to the left, the lefthand piston'valve 25 is brought into operation :to open the -valve 2D `and close the valve 43a, thepiston Ha being then moved-.toward the leftfand the 'elastic fluid pressure `admitted to therighthandendof Vthe .cylinder I4... At any time theoperator ceases to apply .a turningforce to :thesteering wheel, therefore, .the Aapparatus becomes inoperative, .being set into operation by an initial turning movement imparted by i. the operator, after which :it is .only necessary forhim to Ysupply that increment of-vforce., which,A together with the .force applied to thelpiston f3, .is necessary-toeffect movement of. the. armfl il.

lIEtefer-ringnow to lligs. 5,16, vand '1, which. show a modification-oilily.invention, steering Farm .'41,

which corresponds to Athe .steering .arm I0 shown in Fig. 1, .has oppositelydirected members. Land 49pivotally connected to it. Piston rods `5xand 5l1f-are .respectively ,connectedto the members .45 and-49 andsaid Jpiston rods are fconnectedrre.- spectively -to;pistons v52 and 53 which-workin hydraulic cylinders .511 and 55,respectively.. The

Y is eiective in opening the valves 66V and 61.

vided for opening said valves, one at a time depending on the direction in which steering Varm 41 is moved by the turning of the steering wheel. Said means comprise cranks 58 secured to the stems 69 of the valves 65 and v51.' 68 are pivotally connected to links y1G which'are secured to the outer ends of the cylinders 5,4 and 55, respectively.

When the steering arm 41 moves to the right,

the piston rod: 5I and its piston 53 are moved to the right, resultingin the opening of'valve 51, the

ton 64, its rod 65 and the steeringA arm 1 are thus moved tot-he right. Thus it will be seen that the apparatus assists'the driver in steering. When the steeringwarm moves to the left dueX to the turning of the steering wheel by the driver, the piston-rod 50 and its piston 52 are moved to the left,re"s'u1ting in the opening of valve 55 and" Said cranks Y theflowof fair thru pipe'62l from the cylinder 6| Y the piston lllandV its rod 55 are thus moved to the left'a'ndthe steering arm 4:'l'is moved therethe :present construction-is' possible due to the fact thatfth'e .cylinders 54 and-'T55 are slidably-mounted in the supportsl'58, it being understood that Y the cylinders 54 and 55 slide insaid supports whenY their respective pistons are .moved,-due tothe fact that the resistance of .the iluid .to the movementpf *the respective pistons is ,such that 'the cylinderssmove. The resistance offered by the l1qu1d to the movement of the pistons is regulatedV by yvalves :12.`which .fare adjustable in the oblique passageways |3.w'hich are. formed in .the ,pistons 52 and`531t0'allow the liquid 'to passfromY one sideoff each piston tov the' other; Said supportsY 58 fare providedatene Aend with iianges 11 adjacent Wlrlchxare slots18 in which move pins 19 attached at their other ends .to stationary -members and:are,provided to return ysaid cylinders to their normal, ,positions lafter movementV which Exhaust tubes .85f are lconnected, .into ifthe pipesV 62fand 63, Yasyshcfivvn/-A-in Fig. '7,-and leach of nthese and 561, respectively, it being 'understood Ythat the.

valves 815 fare VA'open-vV when the associated; valve is closedland viceversa, A.andY that they are provided Y to allow airtoescape from the cylinder v6l by way.

of i-pipes 62 .and 63,*respectively. x

,The same ,principle of opera-tion is Vinvolved in the modification illustrated Vin Figures 5 tor'? vas is involvedfin thev form illustrated in Figure 1,

Vthe-control valves (either 66 -or (i1)Vv being .held in open -positionionly when the operator applies the additionaljiorce necessary over-that applied by the=pistonf64 toeiect movement of the -arm 41.

- 1. Vehicle steering apparatus comprising: a steering armf'movable -by Athe turning of the steering wheel fof a vehicle, oppositely directed piston rods pivetedto saidA arm, cylinders, pistons in said cylinders and' connected -to Vsaid rods, pipes 'connected-'rtolone of -said cylinders on opposite sidesV actuated upon movement of the piston in the second of said cylinders and connected to each of said valves to open either one of the latter, de pending on the direction of movement of the piston, where the other valve remains closed.

2. Vehicle steering lapparatus comprising a steering arm movable by the turning of the steering Wheel of a vehicle, oppositely directed piston rods pivoted to said arm, cylinders, pistons in said cylinders and connected to said rods, pipes connected to one of said cylinders on opposite sides of the piston therein and adapted to be connected to a source of elastic fluid pressure, a normally closed valve in each of said pipes, and means actuated upon movement of the piston in the second of said cylinders and connected to each of said valves to open either one of the latter, depending on the direction of movement of the piston, Where the other valve remains closed, exhaust tubes connected to said pipes, outlet valves in said tubes, said means being adapted to close an outlet valve as it opens the corresponding inlet valve and vice versa.

3. Vehicle steering apparatus comprising a steering arm movable by the turning of the steering Wheel of a vehicle, oppositely directed piston rods pivoted to said arm, cylinders, pistons in said cylinders and connected to said rods, pipes connected to one of said cylinders on opposite sides of the piston therein and adapted to be connected to a source of elastic uid pressure, a normally closed valve in each of said pipes, and means actuated upon movement of the piston in the second of said cylinders and connected to each of said valves to open either one of the latter, depending on the direction of movement of the piston, Where the other valve remains closed,

and a pipe having its ends connected into said second cylinder on opposite sides of the piston therein.

4. Vehicle steering apparatus comprising a steering arm movable by the turning of the steering Wheel of a vehicle, oppositely directed piston rods pivoted to said arm, cylinders, pistons in said cylinders and connected to said rods, pipes connected to one of said cylinders on opposite sides of the piston therein and adapted to be connected to a source of elastic fluid pressure, a normally closed Valve in each of said pipes, means actuated upon movement of the piston in the second of said cylinders and connected to each of said valves to open either one of the latter, depending on the direction of movement of the piston, Where the other valve remains closed, said means comprising third and fourth cylinders opening into said second cylinder, one on each side of the piston in the second cylinder, resiliently mounted pistons in said third and fourth cylinders, piston rods for the pistons in the third and fourth cylinders and cranks connected to the last mentioned pistons and to said valves.

5. Vehicle steering apparatus comprising a steering arm movable by the turning of the steering wheel of a vehicle, oppositely directed piston rods pivoted to said arm, cylinders, pistons in said cylinders and connected to said rods, pipes connected to one of said cylinders on opposite sides of the piston therein and adapted to be connected to a source of elastic fluid pressure, a valve in each of said pipes and means actuated by movement of the piston in the second of said cylinders for opening and closing said valves.

MILTON KERZAK. 

